The Daily Mail version has had most of the facts removed, what a surprise. If there's one lesson I need to pass on to my kids it will be "Never believe a single word that has been vomited out by the Daily Mail". Oh, and maybe "look both ways before crossing the road".

Neither of the articles mention how the error might have occurred in the first place, nor why it might be taking so long to fix. The local story does say "the council" wrote a letter to the lady's next of kin requesting more information - I think she meant HMRC. The lady says it never arrived. Impossible to prove either way, of course.

I do feel sorry for her, because I imagine it will be a nightmare getting her payments properly sorted out, but it sounds like she doesn't exactly help herself either. The Daily Mail saying she "fears for her home" is pure fabrication, as she has paid her rent, according to the other article. Bailiffs apparently turned up because she hasn't been paying for her car. It also says this situation has been going on for two months. So she missed two payments and bailiffs turned up? Did she phone them to explain the situation? Did she get letters first?

So many questions would need to be answered before blame can be apportioned.